Clear Channel Sues Tribune Co. Over Interactive Exec

Posted Thursday, May 22, 2008 12:00 am

By: E&P Staff Tribune Co. under new Chairman and CEO Sam Zell has hired so many former Clear Channel Communications executives, it once issued a press release jokingly noting that new appointments who were not from the radio giant. But Clear Channel isn't laughing about losing Andrew Friedman to Tribune -- it's suing.

Clear Channel filed a lawsuit in federal court in Chicago Monday that seeks to keep Friedman from joining Tribune until the end of the year. Friedman has been hired as vice president of Tribune's Interactive division.

A Tribune spokesperson wasn't available for comment late Thursday. The lawsuit was first reported on Crain's Chicago Business' Web site by Lorene Yue.

The lawsuit, which also names Friedman as a defendant, says the executive's contract with Clear Channel runs through Dec. 31. The suit also accuses him of threatening to disclose trade secrets, and of providing Tribune with information "of particular competitive significance and value."

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Clear Channel Sues Tribune Co. Over Interactive Exec

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